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Homeless Living in Storage Units

Storage facilities that once held only family keepsakes are becoming a refuge for homeless families, the South Florida Sun Sentinelreports.

Police, social workers and storage managers say homeless families try to live in the 10-by-15-foot units, where they store belongings after they lose their home. Members of one family said they intended only to leave items there, but got tired of sleeping in a car and looking for vacancies at shelters.

But they have to be cautious when they creep back into the storage facility at night, since it’s against the law to live in the units, a spokeswoman for Uncle Bob’s storage said. They usually end up getting caught and evicted.

She told the Sun Sentinel, "Sadly, we're not social workers. Our hands are tied."

Originally founded in December 2006 as an independent grassroots publication dedicated to coverage of health issues in Florida, Health News Florida was acquired by WUSF Public Media in September 2012.